I copied this recipe off a site called Taste of Home. As I said about them in another thread, we fought over these. They are TO DIE FOR. Amazingly fluffy, not the usual scone density, with a crunchy exterior. Not a crumb left.
Total prep time: 30 min
Yield: 8 scones
Important suggestion: combine your dry goods, grate the cheese, have everything ready except the apple which you should dice at the last minute to prevent oxidation. When dinner's 15 minutes away, combine and bake. Serve straight from the oven.
1 3/4 c AP flour
2 Tblsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 c cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 c buttermilk (or half and half soured with 1 tblsp white vinegar, which is what I did)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese (I used a sharp white cheese)
1 c small-diced peeled apples (essentially one apple's worth)
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk just until moistened. Gently fold in the cheese and apples, turn out onto a floured surface. Knead 10 times (five was just right for me).
Pat into a 9 inch circle, cut into 8 wedges. Separate wedges and place on a greased baking sheet (or skip the grease and use a Silpat). I left mine in the circular shape but separated them all by about 1/4". They oozed just slightly into one another and needed three additional minutes of baking to ensure the center was cooked but still maintained their basic shape. The result looked like a daisy-shaped pull-apart bread for a very effective first-impression.
Bake at 450 for about 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.